*Some time later
I feel him behind me before he makes his presence known.
I could feel his strong presence and I was immediately surrounded by his very characteristic and also familiar scent as he approaches me. Leaving me breathless already and anxious for his touch.
My back was to his front; he had surprised me while I was storing away all the parchments that I had used in my lessons today. He wasn't supposed to be back yet.
"My Princess" he says from behind me. His deep male voice almost made me shiver in anticipation.
Slowly I turn around, and that's when I get my first glimpse of him in almost a year. There he was standing in all his glory, the man who made butterflies fly deep inside of me with every exchanged word and look.
"Captain" I respond calmly. Deep inside I was fighting the urge to hold him, touch him in any way, just to make sure that he was real. That he stood in front of me, in his own flesh and blood. "I trust you have made a good journey?"
"We came across some rebels on the way back, but we managed to make good time." he replies
"Good. My father will be pleased." I speak. I grab some parchments to take with me.
"I shall be taking this to my chamber." I inform the scribe. He was an old man. Kind and very wise. He has taught me many things in my years of living.
"I shall arrange for a servant to carry them, my princess." he tells me bowing slowly.
"There is no need. I am sure the Captain would not mind in assisting me." I tell him, turning to look at the man himself. "Unless the Captain is otherwise occupied?"
"It is my honour to be able to assist you, my princess." he replies bowing slightly
"Very well, then if you please..." I say giving him all the parchments I wish to take with me "I shall be returning to my chambers now. Until tomorrow Akil."
I walk in a fast pace; the Captain follows closely behind. All the servants stop and bow when they see me pass but I do not acknowledge them. Once I reach the entrance to my room, I see two guards posted outside my chamber, for "my protection" according to father. They open the doors and I walk inside, the Captain closely behind, never once speaking a word.
The doors close behind us. But we were not alone yet. My personal servant Lillian, stood inside with us. She was a beautiful woman. Her bright golden hair and green eyes were unusual in this land. She was a slave who was brought in to be my personal servant, and we have grown to be good friends in close quarters.
"Lillian, I wish to have my tea now." I tell her. She bows in acknowledgment and exits the room quietly. Once the doors are firmly close behind her and there is no one else in the chamber I finally let myself relax and I turn to the man, who while I spoke with Lillian had disposed of the parchments he had brought for me in my desk, and now stood right in front of me.
"Alone at last." I tell him with a smirk on my lips. Together, almost as if pulled by a string we approach each other, and our lips join together after almost a whole year without seeing each other.
His kiss fells like the breath of fresh air I had been unable to have since his departure. He pulls me closer to him, his hand on my waist holding me tight against him, the other interlocked in my long brown curls. A feature he so deeply admired.
"My love...how I have missed your kisses." he says gently, placing sweet kisses on my cheeks, my eyes, my nose, and finally my lips again.
"Was it only my kisses that you missed?" I ask him feeling slightly dizzy from his touch. I have waited for so long to have him with me again.
"I have missed you most of all." he replies placing his forehead against mine. "I missed your touch, your scent, your voice, your laugh...There was not a day that went by that I did not missed you and thought of you."
"I have missed you as well." I confess to him "Father says I am of age to be married now. He says he will start searching for a husband for me soon."
"I shall ask for your hand today." he assures me
"What if he says no?" I ask fearful
"He won't. You are not heir to the throne, and he can make political alliances with your sisters. I am the Captain of his Guard and second son of a major ally. He has no reason not to accept my proposal." he reassures me "And when he agrees I can finally make you my wife."
"And I can make you my husband." I say happy. "Make sure you have a private audience with him when you ask for marriage. We do not want anyone on the council opposing and swaying his decision." I tell him
"Do not worry Princess, I am not in habit of losing my battles. And this one, I plan on winning whatever the cost." he assures me
"Am I a prize to be won, now?" I tease him caressing his cheek.
He leans in, so his lips softly caress mine.
"You are everything." he responds and then he kisses me passionately, making me go week on the knees , if not for his hold on me I would have fallen to the ground. "My love for you goes beyond the stars and the sky. I am yours, completely and utterly yours." he says
"And I am yours. Always." I tell him. I love him with every inch of my body. My love for him is so great that I would defy the Gods only to have him. For him to be my husband, my lover, the father of my children. "You must go now, before Lillian returns."
"I'll ask for an audience with the Pharaoh today." he reassures me, his hand on my cheek "Wait for me tonight, for I shall bring the news you and I wait for so long."
I kiss him quickly but not less passionately.
"Go." I tell him pushing him away. I arrange my hair and the lipstick on my lips. His lips were red with my lipstick. He cleans it quickly with a handkerchief. All evidence of what had conspired inside this chamber gone. I see him put on his Captain of the Guard posture, eradiating power on his own, and then he quickly exited my chamber leaving me to collapse on the bed with a silly smile on my lips.
"Please Isis*, let my father consent to this marriage." I pray
*****
"What is this I hear, of my Captain of the Guard wanting to marry my favourite daughter?"
"Father!" I yell out surprised turning around to face him. I bow in greeting.
I was enjoying some privacy in our private gardens, trying to catch some fresh air and ease my nerves. Lillian told me of how the Captain of the Guard had asked for a private meeting with the Pharaoh. According to her there were already several rumours going around the palace, some of them spoke of him resigning his position, others said that he was asking to return home, but the most scandalous one, was that he was asking the Pharaoh permission to marry one of his daughters. Now that one had cause quite a buzz in the palace.
So I was definitely not expecting my father to sneak up on me and plainly asking me that, right there in the open, where rogue ears could ear.
"Now this is truly a remarkable day for I have never seen my daughter without words before." he teases me "Come, seat. I believe it's time you and I share a conversation." he says sitting down on a bench close to us.
I look around hesitant to discuss such business out here in the open.
"No one will hear us, my guards will not allow it." he reassured me
I seat next to him and wait for him to speak, but when he took too long to do so, I could not help myself and speak. I was always very impatient when it came to such important matters.
"Well? I take it he has spoken to you then?" I speak not looking at him but in front of me, where I can see our entire kingdom.
"He has indeed." he answers not providing any more intel.
"And? What was your answer?" I ask him finally turning to see him. I find him looking at the kingdom as I was before.
"Do you know why, among all my daughters, you are my favourite?" he asks me instead
"Because I'm the only one who is not afraid to beat you in a game of Hounds and Jackals?"(*picture of the game at the end) I respond answering carefully
He smirks at my answer.
"Among all my daughters, you are the one who resembles me the most." he answers surprising me "The gods did not bless me with a living son..."
"There is still time" I reassure him. My father had only had daughters during his reign. 9 daughters he had, and one male heir, who did not survived infancy.
"When the time comes for Anubis to take me, I will leave you as my next heir, and successor to the throne." he tells me, shocking me.
"I... Father...I... that honour should go to Brielle, the First Princess." I remind him
"You are the most prepared to take on this burden. Your sisters never took the time and interest to learn about our people. They do not know how to rule this kingdom."
"They would have advisors...they-"
"Layla." he interrupts me, his tone strong leaving no doubt that he wishes for me to stop talking.
"I wish to marry Sethos. I cannot do that if I have to rule." I tell him refusing to give him up.
"Ah yes...Sethos. He came to ask for your hand in marriage." he tells me, his face emotionless, I could not tell what he was thinking.
"And what was your answer?"
I was nervous now. Surely my father didn't refuse him, did he? I refuse to marry any other man than him.
"Sethos is a good man, he leads my men well and he fights to bring peace to the kingdom." he answers instead "He will make a good husband."
I dare not hope to assume where he was leading this conversation.
"He will." I agree
"But will he make the best husband for you?" he asks me looking me straight in the eye.
I knew that I had to convince him that he was right for me. So I treated these conversations has I saw my father dealing with his council men.
"I know you don't believe in words of love, so let me speak of other words." I tell him serious "Sethos is a loyal man, once he gives his loyalty to someone he does not betray it. If what you say is certain and you wish for me to take the throne, then I would need someone I trusted by my side to support me. And there is no one I trust more not to betray me that him." I tell him "If it's about the power he wields, he has forsaken his privileges that come with his position as the second son of Master Hassan, he gave his sword to the kingdom, yet he stills maintains a good relationship with his father and eldest brother, so our alliance would not be compromised nor would they be offended, for his eldest brother is already married with an infant heir. If it's is position as Captain...well father, as you said he is one of the best Captains this kingdom as ever seen, but I am aware that he could not act in his position as it requires a lot of time away from the palace and visiting the vast land of the kingdom, so I would suggest he would train and appoint a new Captain underneath him, that would resume his undertakings and Sethos would train the men here at the palace."
I take a deep breath, so I could catch some breath, but I wasn't done yet. I could tell I had all of my father's attention.
"And even if you do not wish to hear words of love, I will say them either way. I love him. I love him so deeply I do not know how to keep on living without loving him, he is in my very cells, in every breath that I breathe, and in every dream that I have. And I know his feelings for me run just as deeply. And if you dare marry me to any other man, I promise to any God that might be listening he will find himself greeting Anubis before he even gets the chance to get me in the marital bed."
"Are you done?" my father asks amused
"No." I respond, there was one more subject I had to approach.
"If it's really your wish to make me your successor, then it is best if you wait a couple of years first." I tell him surprising him by changing the subject
"And why is that?"
"I will need time to prepare, and it would be best if the people were reassured of a line of succession first. If I were to marry now, and Iris be willing, I were to have children, and if any of those children were male, then the council, our allies and our people would be more willing to embrace the idea of me being their next Pharaoh."
I stop talking having said all that I wanted.
My father says nothing, he just looks at me, and yet there was something in his eyes that told me he was pleased with my arguments.
"Spoken like a true Pharaoh." he says smiling. He gets up, kisses my forehead and then he starts walking away, making his way back inside the palace.
"Wait!" I yell out getting up. He did not tell me his answer. Did he accept Sethos proposal for my hand?
The Pharaoh stops walking and turns to look at me, one of his eyebrow lifted up.
"Something on your mind, daughter?"
"Did you accept his proposal?" I ask him anxious to hear his answer, but he does not tell me one. All he does his smile at me, and then he continues walking away.
"Father!" I yell out frustrated. I knew he would not tell me anything now. He seemed to be enjoying leaving me guessing. But surely if he hadn't said yes he would have said something right? The not knowing was leaving me crazy! Sethos told me he would come to me tonight, to tell me of what my father said.
The day seemed so young and the night so far away. Oh Isis...please let him say yes...
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Isis* - Isis was the great Egyptian goddess, wife of Osiris, mother of Horus, sister of Osiris, Set, and Nephthys, and daughter of Geb and Nut. She was worshiped all over Egypt and elsewhere. She searched for her husband's body, retrieved and reassembled Osiris, taking on the role of goddess of the dead. She then impregnated herself from Osiris' body and gave birth to Horus whom she raised in secrecy to keep him safe from Osiris' killer, Seth. She was associated with life, the winds, the heavens, beer, abundance, magic, and more. Isis is shown as a beautiful woman wearing a sun disk.
Hounds and Jackals board game